Saturday, September 14, 2019

Food prioritizes vegetables and fish, but excludes important groups for a nutritious menu

The pegan diet has become one of the most searched subjects on Google in the United States since February 2018, when the term was used for the first time by Mark Hyman, author of the book Food: What the Heck should I eat.

The proposal is to mix two apparently opposite foods: veganism, which excludes everything of animal origin from routine; with the Paleolithic diet, which values what cavemen ate thousands of years ago (usually lots of red meat and freshly harvested fruits). As a result, a menu consisting of 75% vegetables and fruits, against 25% protein.

The equation, at first, seems satisfactory to the nutritional eyes. "The population in general tends to consume much less vegetables and fruits than recommended by the WHO (World Health Organization), 400 grams per day". One more for the list of plant-based diets (diets that prioritize what comes from the earth without necessarily excluding the protein of animal origin) and a certain point for the increase in the consumption of fibers.

Moreover, and despite the preference of our ancestors for red meat with high fat content, the pegan diet tends to go in the opposite direction. Mark, in his book, advises the choice of fish and seafood. "The reduction in red meat intake is associated with lower risk of cardiovascular events and better lipid profile (cholesterol)," says Clarissa.

So, goodbye fatty foods? Not necessarily. The rich in unsaturated, considered good for the heart, are released (gives you avocado and olive oil!).

The restrictions

Like any diet that promises to lose a few pounds, pegan has its prohibitions. And not all of them please the experts. Eliminating grains and gluten from meals can even prevent inflammation of the digestive system and be a good option for those who are celiac, but can also have other consequences. "Some grains, besides proteins of very good vegetable origin, are important for the functioning of the intestine and help in the absorption of iron".

Only some dairy products are allowed. Kefir, ghee butter and those derived from animals fed with grass (like goats, for example), are released. "But without any concrete scientific proof that they are better," says the endocrinologist.

The way out, then, is to use the pegan diet for specific purposes. "Once it restricts, it will promote weight loss. So, maybe it works as a temporary diet. But I don't think it's legal as a life strategy, even more so because the studies about it still don't exist", says nutritionist Aline Petrilli.

Sunday, September 8, 2019

The Dubrow diet is one of the 10 most searched diets on the internet in recent times. It was created by reality stars Heather Dubrow and her husband, Botched Plastic Surgeon Terry Dubrow, after failing with "yo-yo" diets.

This new healthy program is about eating at intervals to lose weight, according to a US News article.

In addition, weight loss has these benefits: it cares for the skin, increases body energy, stabilizes blood sugar levels, decreases inflammation of the body and provides anti-aging properties.

According to the portal, to get the results the diet promises, users should consult directly with the book "The Dubrow Diet, how to eat at intervals to lose weight and feel without age".

In the first stay, the program is about intermittent fasting divided into the phases "Ready for the red carpet" "Summer is approaching", and "Tractive look while you live as a human being" "Tractive look while you live as a human being".

The first phase lasts from two to five days with 16 hours of fasting and eight hours of feeding.

In the second, it is presented as the speed at which users could reach their goal: slow speed 12 hours of food and 12 hours of fasting, average: 14 hours of fasting and 10 hours of feeding, and 16 hours of fasting and eight hours of feeding.

The third phase is the established long-term meal times, for example 12 hours of fasting and 12 hours of feeding five days a week and 16 hours of feeding with eight hours of fasting on the other two days.

Although there is no research on the functioning of the diet, some elements may be promising for weight loss, such as the intake of small amounts of food and at the same time of calories, high intensity training and the possibility for users to adapt to feeding times.

We leave you with a list of some of the foods that predominate in the recommendations of the couple Dubrow:

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Mediterranean food is one of the best food models in the world. It also includes delicious preparations that are easy to make at home. Do you want to learn how to make dishes from the Mediterranean diet to support your weight loss diet?

This diet is based on including foods of all kinds, excluding those with a high fat content. Therefore, its adoption helps reduce blood cholesterol, which allows us to prevent cardiovascular disease.

The main benefit of this diet is the excellent contribution of healthy fats from olive oil and other foods rich in fatty acids such as Omega 3 and 6. In addition, it also ensures the contribution of other essential nutrients. Find out more.

What are the benefits of the Mediterranean Diet?

The Mediterranean diet is a dietary model with dietary patterns from Mediterranean countries such as Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Greece and Malta. It is enriched with the main food groups that must be present for your diet to be varied, balanced and healthy.

The aim of any diet is to adequately dose the nutrients; in the case of the Mediterranean, no one can beat it. In addition, the food pyramid was created in order to order all its products in order to understand how to take them. This is what it tells us:

Olive oil is fundamental in Mediterranean gastronomy.

It uses seasonal food, not frozen food.

The hydrates are supplied by means of cereals such as rice, pasta and bread, a fundamental product.

Five pieces of fruit and vegetables a day are essential. Fresh fruit as a dessert we can not forget.

Four eggs on average a week are a vital nutrient supply for our health, as well as blue and white fish and white meat.

Avoid excess animal fats, red meat, sweets.

Natural mineral water is necessary to live. Two liters of water per day is the average per person. This amount varies depending on age, weight and other parameters.

Avoid additives such as salt or sugar.

Complement your diet with exercise every day.

Does Mediterranean Diet help you lose weight?

Unlike other eating habits, the Mediterranean diet is the kind of food we need to live well. It is not aggressive, it has no nutritional deficiencies. You will not lose weight quickly, but if you maintain the right amounts of food and do sport daily, not only will you lose weight but you will also benefit your heart.

This diet does not consist of losing 5 kilos in 3 days, as happens with the pineapple or artichoke diet, but what we want is to maintain our body mass index at the recommended average, and enjoy delicious and varied meals. It is something that requires an education, which our body will appreciate.

Mediterranean Diet dishes that help you lose weight

Here are 5 typical dishes of Mediterranean cuisine that thanks to their ingredients could help you lose weight. They are simple to prepare, as well as nutritious. Encourage yourself to prepare them not only to lose weight but also to get out of the routine and improve your health.

1. Bonito marinated in curry

To escape the monotony of our diet, it is interesting to bet on new or uncommon flavors in the Mediterranean diet. Bonito marinated with curry spices and seasoned with sesame or other seeds can be a dish that is out of the ordinary and conserves the lightness we are looking for.

2. Seafood brochettes

The Mediterranean diet proposes a series of protein-based dinners (without vegetables or other carbohydrate foods) to lose weight during the first weeks of the diet. A skewer of fish and seafood, seasoned with spices, lemon or garlic and parsley can be a good option to escape boredom.

3. Chicken stuffed with asparagus, spinach and beaten cheese

Chicken stuffed with vegetables and beaten cheese is a healthy and delicious way to escape the typical grilled steak. To cook it, all you have to do is grill the chicken and roll it over the vegetables and cheese. Five minutes in the oven and you will have a tasty and healthy meal.

4. Salmon en papillote (in paper)

Salmon is usually one of the most recurrent foods in any diet. It has multiple benefits, is very rich in fatty acids and its taste is exquisite. A delicious and light meal, but with all the benefits, en papillote salmon, served on a base of zucchini, green asparagus and leeks and a touch of white wine.

5. Bruschetta

Typical Italian dish consisting of toasted bread with olive oil, accompanied by various ingredients such as tomato, basil, garlic, eggplant, artichokes and cheese. It is often served as an appetizer.

6. Fresh Green Bean Salad

Another of the problems we usually encounter in a weight loss diet is the lack of ideas for cooking vegetables in a tasty way. This salad is ideal for taking to work or eating out. Natural tuna, turkey breast and cooked egg whites will provide the protein we need.

Saturday, January 12, 2019

The traditional Greek diet, formed by history and climatic conditions, meets the main criteria of an optimal diet: it has properties that promote health and is compatible with a sustainable environment.

In simple terms, the traditional Greek regime is based on:

High consumption of olive oil, which in Greece, more than in any other country, is extra virgin;

High consumption of unrefined vegetables, legumes, fruits and cereals;

Preference for fish over meat;

Emphasis on feta cheese and yogurt, instead of other dairy products;

Moderate consumption of wine, especially during meals.

Prototype of the traditional Mediterranean diet

The properties that promote the health of this diet have been documented among many populations, and at different times in history. In the late 1960s, the original work of Ansell Keys (a renowned scientist who studied the impact of diet on health) on the Greek population gave weight to the idea that the traditional Greek diet represents a distinguished prototype of the traditional Mediterranean diet.

The traditional Greek diet has been found to increase longevity and protect against serious diseases, such as coronary heart disease and many types of cancer.

Recent studies have also recognized the Greek diet for its health-promoting attributes. In addition, scientists have shown that there are two factors that play an important role in a healthy diet:

Combination of dietary intakes

High quality food components.

High quality

Greece can rightly be proud of the high quality and supreme taste of many of its food products, including olive oil, dairy products, vegetables and fruits. But they are not only the products that form the most important components of this famous diet. Many traditional Greek recipes and sweets have an impressive array of beneficial properties. The unexpected nutritional properties of many Greek dishes are just now recognized.

Sunday, September 30, 2018

The egg is a particularly attractive food to delve into. It is full of nutrients and yet has been demonized for decades because of its high cholesterol and fat content and its unfavorable results in relation to cardiovascular disease in various studies. Although in recent years the stringent restrictions of yesteryear (which were almost banned) have been relaxed to some extent, there is much confusion about the appropriateness of their consumption.

The egg is a cheap food, easy to obtain, which provides a large quantity and variety of proteins and fats (saturated, monounsaturated and poinnsaturated), cholesterol and many vitamins. With regard to cardiovascular risk, many analyses have been carried out depending on how it affects cholesterol levels, but this type of assessment is not very useful. Firstly, because it has been repeatedly demonstrated that the intake of eggs does not usually affect colestrol in blood in most people (not to mention the discrepancies that there are in some circles regarding the levels of cholesterol most recommended by studies such as this). Secondly, because it is more practical to skip the intermediate step of cholesterol and analyze directly what the studies say about its relationship with cardiovascular disease.

It is relatively simple to analyze the short-term effect of eating eggs frequently. Intervention studies show that they are mostly positive. If we refer to the long term, decades ago several researches were carried out that related their intake with an increase in cardiovascular risk. An article like this has even been published recently: Dietary cholesterol and egg yolks: Not for patients at risk of vascular disease in 2010 (it is an opinion-review, not epidemiological) alerting of the risks of eating eggs, with the consequent subsequent discrepant responses (so that they later say that there is scientific consensus).

The problem with old epidemiological studies is that they did not isolate the effect and possible influence of other foods. That is, the increased risk could be caused by the egg, bacon, coffee or butter toast that usually accompanies eggs. Or by any other factor. This is highlighted by the probably best reviews that have been made on the subject and which I strongly recommend reading: A Review of Scientific Research and Recommendations Regarding Eggs (2004) and Egg Consumption and Coronary Heart Disease: An Epidemiologic Overview (2000).

As the methodology of the studies was refined, especially by separating in more detail the influence of different foods, the risk disappeared. It occurred most dramatically in the famous massive 1999 study "A Prospective Study of Egg Consumption and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Men and Women," which followed nearly 120,000 people for 14 years. No increased cardiovascular risk was found among people who ate more than one egg a day (although it was found among people with diabetes).

Since then and over the last ten years most studies have reached similar conclusions.

Even in some, such as Egg consumption and CHD and stroke mortality: a prospective study of US adults (2010), analysing some 30,000 people over 6 years, the inverse relationship was found: Eating more eggs reduced the risk.Admittedly, there have also been some who have found some relationship lately. But although they have obtained statistically significant results, these have been small, which reduces their relevance and does not rule out the influence of other variables.

A number of positive results that have been obtained among people with diabetes remain to be clarified. Let us hope that future research will shed light on this.

In conclusion, my view is that there is no compelling evidence that eating eggs is a health risk, and they are an exceptional and affordable nutritional option. As I have said on other occasions, I think it is much more important to eliminate factors with a demonstrated increased risk: stress, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, obesity, refined carbohydrates, alcohol and so on. If you are very prudent, you can limit yourself to one egg a day, as all the most recent and rigorous studies do not find any risk up to this amount. It will be enough for you to watch your usual blood indicators and results to monitor how your body responds and if, as expected, you do not see anything out of the ordinary, you will even be able to increase this amount considerably without any problems.

Sunday, July 8, 2018

Although it seems that a hot chicken soup helps during a flu, there are foods that contain essential nutrients for our defenses. Ingesting them in correct amounts can save us from more than one aversion.

It is well known that what we eat has important and profound effects on our health, from the density of our bones to the performance of our brain. One of the fundamental principles is to provide our immune system with the ability to defend itself against bacterial, fungal and viral attacks. You can follow a "healthy" diet, have a good figure, strong teeth and, at the same time, defenses that defend nothing. Indian physician and researcher Ranjit Chandra of Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada, published a study describing the relationship between food and our defenses: "Nutrition is a fundamental factor in the immune response, and malnutrition is one of the most common causes of immunodeficiency in the world. "The three nutrients that play a major role in maintaining a good immune system are selenium, zinc and vitamin B6 (although they are not the only ones, for example iron is also involved, but to a lesser extent).

Selenium in nuts, mushrooms and cod

Why are Spanish farmers a bull? Higher genes? Maybe. Another option may refer to this habit of eating garlic as someone who eats pipes, raw and everything. This food is a good source of selenium, a chemical element of the nonmetals group. In a study published in "The Journal of Nutrition" by researcher John R. Arthur and his team, the Rowett Reseach Institute, explains that "selenium has great potential to influence our immune system. But in the scientific world, getting answers inevitably leads to new questions. John Arthur explains that "only when all the functions of selenoproteins are described will we be able to fully understand their role in maintaining optimal immune function. There are many foods (that we love) that are good sources of selenium. Here are some examples from data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA):

Garlic It contains 14.2 micrograms per 100 g. One third of the recommended daily amount.

Brazil nuts. These are selenium queens by far. 100 grams contain 1,917 micrograms (or almost the same, 2 milligrams), which is equivalent to 3,485.4% of the recommended daily amount.

All are important, but B6 is fundamental

All nuts are appreciated for their nutritional values, more now that fats have lost that reputation for "bad" they had. Pistachios are distinguished among all nuts, not only for their taste (and price), but also for their high vitamin B6 content. One of its functions is to play an important role in the creation of antibodies. For this reason, as explained in his book "Let's buy lies" José Manuel López Nicolás, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) believes that you can advertise a product containing at least 15% vitamin B6 per day. with slogans like "help your defenses" or "help the immune system". Peppers are one of the kings of this vitamin, specifically a characteristic of Mexico, Chile pasilla (named for its dry, raisin-like appearance), but it is not the only one. 100 grams of these foods will provide us with all the vitamin B6 we need:

Salvia This spice is rich in this nutrient, since it contains 2.69 mg.

Spearmint Typical of some gastronomies... and mojito. It contains 2.58 mg, more than enough for our daily lives.

A scarce and fundamental metal for us

Although with cheaper types starting to arrive from distant shores, oysters have traditionally been exclusive to the larger portfolios. Turns out their flavor and texture aren't the only thing special. It is one of the largest known food sources of zinc. Researcher Pamela J. Faker and her team at Michigan State University in the United States published a study in 2000 looking at the relationship between zinc deficiencies and immune system activity and how it affected the human body to restore normal levels of this micronutrient. "The results of more than three decades of work indicate that zinc deficiency causes a rapid decrease in the response of antibodies and immune system cells," says his research.

This makes it clear that a deficiency of this metal can cause us more than one headache. So much so that, in this study, the researcher says that "a lack of zinc in the diet can lead to an increase in the prevalence of opportunistic infections and mortality rates". To avoid these harmful consequences, we can resort to the following foods (per 100 g):

Raw oysters: contain 39.30 mg of zinc, almost 4 times more than the recommended daily amount.

Veal: it is very rich in this nutrient, containing the ribs, for example, 11.49 milligrams.

Pumpkin seeds. They contain 10.30 mg or, in other words, the total daily requirement.

Sesame flour. They cover our needs with 10.70 mg.

A balanced diet must include everything, not only the 'healthy' foods that cause visible effects in the mirror, but also those that really help us in times of need.

Sunday, April 8, 2018

Today I have some delicious chicken avocado burritos filled with juicy chicken, creamy avocado, melted cheese and a spicy salsa verde and sour cream! They are so easy to make, wrap everything up, grill and enjoy! Take care to cover the cheese on the top and bottom of the burrito so that it can melt sticky when grilling.

Monday, March 5, 2018

While this recipe is probably fairly similar to what you may do on a traditional burger. Because ground turkey often contains less fat than ground beef you want to make sure not to overcook the burger as it is easier to dry out than beef. You will however want to make sure to that the inside is cooked through because it is poultry after all and you want to eat a safe burger. I believe 160 degrees is the temperature but I do not check with a thermometer, after a while you can just tell when they are done. I hope you enjoy it. Keep your eye out for other unique and interesting burger ideas to try.

Ingredients

1 pound of ground turkey

4 whole-grain buns

4 tablespoons of seasoned breadcrumbs

tablespoons of onion (diced)

2 tablespoons of parsley (chopped)

4 slices of tomato

4 slices of red onion

2 lettuce leaves (halved)

1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon of your favorite hot sauce

4 tablespoons of ketchup

Salt & pepper (to taste)

Instructions

To begin on your grilled turkey burger recipe, use a large bowl to mix together the ground turkey, seasoned bread crumbs, parsley, chopped onion, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. My wife prefers fresh bread crumbs although I like them dry. Mix well and divide the mixture into four equal portions. Form these portions into patties.

Use a charcoal grill to prepare a hot fire. Alternatively, you can use a gas grill which is how I often do it. If you have a George Foreman grill - even better.

Lightly coat your cooking surface with Pam or a similar spray, away from your heat source. Place your cooking rack about five inches away from the heat.

Next, grill your burgers until they are browned well on both sides. I normally do mine for about seven minutes on each side to ensure that they are heated through.

You may then serve your turkey burgers on buns topped with one slice of tomato, onion, half a lettuce leaf, along with a dollop of ketchup. If you feel that you require more enhancements, you may add a 1/2 cup of finely chopped red bell pepper like my wife does.

Friday, February 23, 2018

Food additives are substances added during the processing or making of a certain food in order to preserve flavors and freshness and enhance taste and appearance.

Although some of them have been used for centuries, the use of certain food additives is becoming really widespread and some of them are extremely dangerous for your health, I would say toxic even.

I'm not talking about the once-in-a-while consumption of a certain processed food containing additives, which can't harm anyone. I am talking about daily use. Statistics show that the average American spends about 90% of his/her budget on this kind of food; which means that if you open an American fridge or look up on the shelves you'll find tons of canned, dehydrated, artificial or processed stuff, which is extremely unhealthy, and its persistent consumption can cause health problems.

Typically these food ingredients are very difficult to identify, both for the variety of names and codes they're labelled with and the very minuscule fonts used to lists them on the ingredient list.

Here is the list of the top 10 toxic ingredients.

Go get your detective glass and start reading labels!

1) HFCS - High Fructose Corn Syrup

High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is a highly-refined artificial sweetener made from corn starch and found in almost all processed food such as: bread and baked goods, salad dressing, candies, yogurt, soda etc. And according to some studies has become the number one source of calories in the US.

Indeed, its easy handling and cheap cost made it the number one granulated sugar replacement: The amount of refined sugar we consume has declined over the past 40 years, while we're consuming almost 20 times as much HFCS.

HFCS is linked with weight gaining, it increases your LDL ("bad" cholesterol) levels, and contributes to the development of diabetes and tissue damage, among other harmful effects.

Also, recent researches published by the American Association for Cancer Research found that the fructose in HFCS promotes cancer growth, specifically pancreatic cancer.

2) Sodium Nitrate & Sodium Nitrite (NaNO3- NaNO2)

Both of them are chemical compound used as a food additive to preserve and give to cured meats, smoked fish and poultry a nice red pinkish color. Although their purpose seems harmless, these ingredients are highly carcinogen and their consume is linked with gastrointestinal cancer and heart diseases.

In fact, under certain conditions, they can form nitrosamines compounds, molecules that cause cancer in animals and humans.

Also, in massive doses, nitrite - and nitrate, which under some conditions changes to nitrite - can lead to a condition called methemoglobinemia. In our body, nitrites, indeed, have the ability to change the structure of the hemoglobin into methemoglobin: the binding of oxygen to whom results in an increased affinity for oxygen in the remaining heme sites. This leads to an overall reduced ability of the red blood cell to release oxygen to tissue and it may occur in tissue hypoxia.

Can't give up on eating salami, bacon or ham? Choose the uncured ones.

Sodium Nitrate is listed under its INS number 251 or E number E251, Sodium Nitrite has the E number E250.

3) MSG - Monosodium Glutammate

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a flavor enhancer commonly added to Chinese food, canned vegetables, soups and processed meats. While the Glutamic acid is naturally present in our bodies, and in many foods, such as tomatoes and cheese, the ones exploited by the processed-foods industry is chemically produced through hydrolysis of vegetable proteins with hydrochloric acid to disrupt peptide bonds or by the fermentation of starch, sugar beets, sugar cane or molasses.

The substance produced has the ability to excite our taste buds and make everything taste delicious, which wouldn't be a big deal if it hasn't been shown that high levels of MSG can seriously screw with brain chemistry causing damage to areas of the brain unprotected by the blood-brain barrier.

4) Artificial Colors

Food dyes are one of the most common ingredients in processed food used with the purpose to make your meals or drinks more desirable and appealing.

Nothing against that if they wouldn't have been linked to some serious health problems.

Blue #1 and Blue #2 (E133)

Banned in Norway, Finland, and France. May cause chromosomal damage.

Found in candy, cereal, soft drinks, sports drinks and pet foods.

Red dye #3 (also Red #40 - a more current dye) (E124)

Banned in 1990 after 8 years of debate from use in many foods and cosmetics. This dye continues to be on the market until supplies run out! Has been proven to cause thyroid cancer and chromosomal damage in laboratory animals, may also interfere with brain-nerve transmission.

Banned in Norway and Sweden. Increases the number of kidney and adrenal gland tumors in laboratory animals, may cause chromosomal damage.

Found in American cheese, macaroni and cheese, candy and carbonated beverages, lemonade and more! (source Food Matters website)

The slogan "Eat the Rainbow" is still cool but go natural, please!

5) BHA & BHT

BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole), also listed with the label of E320, and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) are two organic compound widely used by the food industry as preservatives due to their antioxidants proprieties as they can prevent rancidification of food containing fats.

Although declared safe from FDA, The U.S. National Institutes of Health reported that they may form cancer - cause reactive compounds in our body potentially leading to cancer.

Also, they can disturb your hormone and neurological system.

BHA is in tons of food: pick up a bag of chips, a box of cereal, a package of frozen sausages or simply eat a gum, and you have a high probability to find BHA and or BHT (or even worse, both of them) in the ingredients list.

6) Artificial Sweeteners

Artificial Sweeteners are sugar substitute used to give some sweet taste to drinks of food without all the calories of sucrose.

Aspartame, known also as NutraSweet, Equal and codified ad E951, is the most famous one. It is 200 times sweeter than sugar, but its effect on the human body is not as sweet as it tastes: is a neurotoxin and carcinogen.

Some studies claim that is the most dangerous substance on the market, with a wide range of health effects ranging from mild problem such as memory issues, headache and dizziness, to more serious ones, such as multiple sclerosis, diabetes, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, fibromyalgia, and emotional disorders.

7) Sulfur Dioxide

Sulfur Dioxide is a chemical compound with antimicrobial and antioxidants proprieties, used as a preservative for dried fruits such as dried apricot, raisins and prunes and added to fruit juices, cereal bars, breakfast cereal to prevent discoloration, ripening, and rotting.

Checking food labels for it, and for sulfites in general, with numbers in the range E220-228, is helpful; however, companies are required to list it only if there are more than 10 parts per million (ppm) in the finished product.

Whilst harmless to healthy persons when used in recommended concentrations, it can induce asthma and respiratory problem when ingested by sensitive subjects, even in high dilution.

It also destroys vitamins B1 and E.

8) Trans Fats

"Trans fats, or trans-unsaturated fatty acids, trans fatty acids, are a type of unsaturated fat that occur in small amounts in nature, but became widely produced industrially from vegetable fats for use in margarine, snack food, packaged baked goods and frying fast food starting in the 1950s. Trans fat has been shown to consistently be associated, in an intake-dependent way, with increased risk of coronary artery disease, a leading cause of death in Western nations."

As matter of facts, Trans fats have the power to increase LDL (bad cholesterol) levels, while decreasing the amount of HDL (the good one) in our bodies. Trans fat is abundant in fast food restaurants. Here is a list of health issues linked to a high consume of trans fats: Alzheimer's disease, coronary artery disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, liver dysfunctions, infertility, depression, deficit in memory.

Keep them in mind while you're enjoying your fries!

9) Sodium Benzoate

Sodium Benzoate is the sodium salt of benzoic acid and it's famous for the anti-fungal proprieties.

Pick up a soda can and you'll surely find it as an ingredient (E211). Indeed, it is heavily used by the soft drink industry, and not only in that. This chemical compound it is primarily added to acidic foods such as prickles, sauces, vinegars in order to enhance their flavor.

When mixed with ascorbic acid (well known as Vitamin C), Sodium Benzoate create an unfortunate side effect: it forms benzene known as a potent carcinogen, which contribute to the formation of many different types of cancer.

10) Potassium Bromate

Last but not least, Potassium Bromate, used in the Unites States, as a flours additive to improve elasticity and strength of the dough and allow it to rise higher.

In 1999, the International Agency on Research for Cancer declared that potassium bromate was a possible human carcinogen. Since that, it has been banned in a number of country including Europe and Canada, but not in the United Stated, where studies have found it in more that 86 baked goods found on supermarket shells.

Check out your bread, rolls, French toast or pastry dough before buying. Please!

Friday, January 19, 2018

When I was in my early 20's I was diagnosed with Graves Disease or Hyperthyroidism. This diagnoses took three different doctors to figure out why my energy was so low and why I was gaining weight even though I ate like a bird. I was so uncomfortable with myself and probably wasn't thinking very well either. Thankfully, while getting a pap smear a nurse recognized my problem and sent me to an Internal Medical Doctor. I was given three options to get healthy.

Cut out my enlarged thyroid

Have radiation treatments

Take a little white pill with a long name

I chose the little white pill and managed to get well through sheer will. However, Two years passed before I totally felt myself again and was told because of the type of condition I had, there was a 50/50 chance I would relive this disease. Then and there, I started learning about a more natural way to stay healthy.

I believe stress was a major player on why I contracted this disease in the first place. I was in an abusive marriage and working for a very toxic company. But, I did heal or so I thought. Throughout the years, I have had lots of PMS. Nothing too severe but I never did have regular menstrual cycles and I believe it had to do with the condition of my thyroid. I started a regime of vitamins, bodywork, (massage, Jin Shin Jyutsu- form of acupressure) soaking in hot springs, etc. All this helped tremendously.

However, about 3 years ago, my upper lip started swelling and I wasn't even injecting Botox! My poor lip did not feel good at all. Fortunately, I found Chia Seeds through Mike Adam's newsletter on natural news and ordered a package. Within a few weeks, my top lip normalized and I was able to apply lipstick again without my lip burning. But, other benefits emerged from taking this tiny seed that I never would have imagined. My complexion cleared, my energy levels stabilized and my appetite leveled off.

Below, I describe even more benefits of this forgotten food. Perhaps, it can help you also on your path to wellness.

Chia seeds contain more than 60% Omega-3 fatty acids and have the highest percentage of Omega-3 of any commercially available source, according to Dr. Wayne Coats, perhaps the world's foremost educator on Chia seeds.

Remember Chia pets? This is the same material, only you won't be growing a plant. I only ask you to soak the seeds in water and watch them swell. The seeds are tasteless and odorless and therefore won't go rancid, are easy to store, easy to use, and are not contaminated with pesticides, chemicals or heavy metals. Add one tablespoon chia into an eight-ounce glass of water or juice, let sit about five minutes, stir, and drink. Chia turns into a gel, which can be added to jams, jellies, peanut butter, milkshakes, nut spreads, smoothies, hot or cold cereals, yogurt, mustard, catsup, tartar sauce, barbecue sauces or anything else you can think of.

This is an ancient food source recently rediscovered that was known for its endurance. "Chia" is the Mayan word for strength. Chia seeds had been a staple for the American Native people for centuries (long before the Chia Pet hit the market). The Aztecs considered it to be extremely valuable for healing - from cleaning the eyes to helping heal wounds, topically, to relieving joint pain and so on. Aztec warriors would eat chia during hunting trips, and the Indians of the Southwest would eat only chia seed mixed with water as they ran from the Colorado River to the Pacific Ocean to trade products.

These tiny black seeds contain large amounts of B vitamins and calcium. In roughly two ounces of chia (100 grams), there are 600 milligrams of calcium, contrasted with 120 milligrams of calcium in the same amount of milk. That's five times as much calcium than milk!

Chia also contains boron which aids in the metabolism of calcium, magnesium, manganese, and phosphorus for bones and muscle growth. Since our nation's soil is so boron depleted, we simply are not getting enough of this mineral in our daily diets. Boron also can increase the levels of natural estrogen.

Chia seeds gel-forming property is a dieter's dream because the seeds slows digestion and sustains balanced blood sugar levels, which can be helpful in preventing or controlling Diabetes. Water-soaked chia seeds are easily digested which results in rapid transport of chia nutrients to the tissues for use by the cells.

For the dieter, this means feeling full with no more peaks and valleys in blood sugar levels. Because the Chia seed produces a thick mucilage in water, it absorbs up to 30 times its weight in water. This means that once its in the body, debris from the intestinal walls flakes off to be eliminated efficiently and regularly. A daily dose of chia seed provides an excellent fiber source and most people notice a different in less than a week.

More Reasons to Eat Chia

2 times the protein of any other seed or grain

2 times the amount of potassium as bananas

3 times the reported antioxidant strength of blueberries

3 times more iron than spinach

One woman reportedly manages her Acid Reflux with chia because of the highly absorbent properties. She swallows a Tsp of dry seeds with just a little water. Then drinks a glass of water a few minutes later, so the seeds can do their job of absorbing the acid in her stomach. It is necessary to drink enough water after taking the chia because if there isn't enough liquid in your stomach, the seed will draw from the tissues instead. By allowing the seeds to first absorb the acid and drinking more water, this woman is able to very simply, effectively and cheaply handle her condition.

I've been incorporating at least two tablespoons of chia seed into my diet everyday. The gray in my hair has diminished and the original color is resurfacing, I no longer have numbness in my fingers when I wake up in the middle of the night, my fingernails are noticeably harder and aren't chipping or breaking any longer, the swelling of my top lip is no longer an issue and I am not experiencing any hot flash symptoms. Need I say more?

Other medical conditions Chia Seeds may relieve:

Celiac disease

Depression

Headaches - Are you tired of those constant migraines?

Heart Attacks

IBS

Lowers cholesterol - no cholesterol

Lyme Disease

High blood pressure

Panic Attacks

Chia is a valuable nutrient for your pets too! This tiny black seed isn't just for people; dogs, cats and even horses will benefit by the elements found in this seed. I can attest to that. My 11 year tabby cat has had an intestinal problem since she was young, but since I have been adding 1/4 teaspoon mixed into her food, she no longer vomits after every meal. Which is nice to not have to clean up.

Isn't it time to introduce Chia seeds into your diet for a healthier you? Your local health food store may carry Chia Seeds however, I found them less expensive online.

And one more note about Chia Pets. Even though Chia seeds are too sticky for conventional sprouting jars, they do sprout very easily when spread out on earthenware. The Mexicans have long made earthenware in the shapes of Chia Pets, and yes, you can eat the sprouts that grow on the Chia Pet. They taste like watercress (but better), and are full of vitamins and minerals, just like the seeds.

We are very happy when many people imitate our recipes 🙂
Share them with other ketarians and those who want to become ketarians! Please remember to link or mention in it. Developing recipes is a lot of work and it would be great if this can be traced back to us!

Sunday, November 19, 2017

Are you about to reach 40 and you’re worried about whether you need to make significant changes to your life?

Age shouldn’t be an impediment or a motive to care for your body. For precisely this reason, you should always care for yourself. However, there are a few changes you should make to your diet once your reach 40.

After 40, not only is it more difficult to lose weight, but also certain health problems can start that you need to control.

Today, we’ve prepared a list of the changes you should make. (Don’t worry; they’re simple!)

1. Increase your calcium intake

Due to the fact that your production of estrogen reduces after age 40, your bones will have greater difficulty in absorbing calcium from food.

The problem with this is that it increases your risk of suffering from osteoporosis and fractures that could have consequences for the future.

The ideal scenario is to ingest around 1000 milligrams of calcium a day.

Some options to get it include:

Cheese, which contain between 470 and 850 milligrams of calcium in a 100 gram piece (depending on the type of cheese). Remember, however, that when including it in your meals you should avoid adding more fats.

Almonds, which provide 250 milligrams of calcium in 100 grams of almonds. It is important not to consume almonds excessively, because they are high in carbohydrates and fats.

Yogurt. 100 grams of yogurt gives you between 127 and 180 milligrams of calcium. When it comes to choosing your yogurt, go for a natural one that’s as free as possible from sweeteners. Another good alternative is to make your own yogurt at home. This will enable you to make it in different ways and with different flavors.

2. Eat more protein

When you reach 40, you also need to increase your protein intake, because our muscle mass decreases as we grow older. This means that you can lose weight without wanting to, leaving room for more fat to accumulate.Ideally, you should include around 30 grams of protein in each meal.

The best options are:

Soy, which contains 37 grams of protein per 100 grams. The ideal option is to eat the bean itself, but if you don’t like it or you can’t get it, try tofu or soy milk.

Pine nuts, which provide 14 grams of protein in every 100 grams. However, avoid eating large quantities of pine nuts at once because they are high in fats.

Chicken. We get 30 grams of protein from every 100 grams of skinless lean chicken. The best way to eat it is in meals with vegetables and the least amount of fat possible.

3. Reduce your sodium intake

Inflammation and bloating is a common problem upon reaching your forties and during the menopause. To reduce how often and how seriously this happens, it is a good idea to eat little sodium.

The easiest way to achieve this is to reduce your salt intake. If you’ve already reduced your use of salt in cooking and inflammation continues to be a problem, check the labels of the products you tend to eat.

The majority contain sodium among their ingredients, so you should seek out healthier options or reduce the portions you eat.

Pay special attention to the nutritional information label. There, you can see the quantity of sodium that the product contains per portion and the weight of a portion.

4. Add more antioxidants to your diet

You’ve probably already heard a lot about the benefits of antioxidants in the body.

When you reach 40, you’ll start to experience problems related to aging, like skin problems and clicking joints.

To reduce the problem, try to include:

Peppers

Blackberries

Broccoli

Strawberries

Green tea

Dark chocolate

5. Monitor your vitamin B12 intake

When you reach 40, your body starts to have nerve problems and problems with blood cell production. These two situations are reversed with the consumption of enough vitamin B12.

An adult requires around 2.4 micrograms of this vitamin per day, and you can get it from dairy products, fish and eggs.

Other changes you should make when you reach 40

As well as your diet, it’s also important to improve your lifestyle to ensure that the efforts you make with your diet reap rewards.

The main changes are:

Make changes to your exercise plan to adapt it to the characteristics of your body. If you’ve noticed joint problems, choose more gentle exercises.

Have a medical check-up every 6 months. If you’ve always had good health you might not visit your doctor very often. When you reach 40, it’s important to do so more often to rule out the appearance of diseases.

Exercise often. Keep moving as much as you can. Even just a short walk or getting up and stretching a bit counts!

Do you already have these habits or do you need to adopt some into your life?